Sunday, 12/28/2014 to Saturday, 1/3/3014 - Freezeroo #2 & Frozen Assets 5K (DNS)

I ran 5 times this week, 38.2 miles.

Sunday, 12/28/2014: 13.1 miles, 1:48:00, 8:14 pace, 37F, 70% RH, 10 mph WNW wind, partly cloudy.

Garmin Connect Activity for A nice and half half just because

I woke up and needed a long run. So ... I dilly dallied a bit and got out there. I took up a nice and easy pace on my usual clockwise bridge route. I added some miles out to Durand Eastman Beach to dip my running shoes in Lake Ontario.

My left shoe is about to get wet. That's the nipple of my water bottle in the foreground.

I took a HammerGel at mile 5.5 and then took an off the Garmin break for about 2 minutes at mile 7.7 at the beach. My splits were: 8:09, 8:07, 7:55, 7:57, 8:09, 8:52, 8:16, 8:20, 8;22, 8:30, 8:13, 8:23, 8:04 and 7:16 over that last 0.1 mile.

This paragraph is a condensed history over several days:
I started to work on Bill Beyerbach's laptop. He had got hit with the CBT Locker virus with absolutely no backups whatsoever. It got into your computer, searches out all your data, encrypts it and then posts a message on your desktop to try to ranson your data. He had told me about it and I told him that I would like to take a whack at helping him. He had 6.7 GB of work files on his desktop and 6.7 GB of personal files in his My Documents. All of them were encrypted with a .vwdfdf suffix. I Googled the CBT Locker virus and found some ways to try to attack it. I made a copy of his encrypted files to give to him. It seems that his appraisal software made some output files that were not encrypted so that was good. I found the Task Scheduler task that started it on bootup and killed it. I ran RogueKiller, Malwarebytes and emptied the Temp folders. But all the data files were still encrypted: JPGs, PDFs, DOCXs, XLSXs. Wow! I tried to go to Previous Versions, no. I tried to load ShadowExplorer to look for other versions, no. I loaded Recuva to look at all the deleted files to see if something wasn't encrypted. I found a few. I feel bad but there is absolutely nothing that I can do to help him. So ... dear readers ... PLEASE MAKE BACKUPS! And then keep those backups disconnected from your computer except when making the backup!

I watched the Bills play the Patriots out in Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA. The Patriots had nothing to play for and play their backups. The Bill had pride to play for and a winning record of 9-7 (the best since 2004). Well ... the Bills won 17-9, link here. I felt sure that the Patriots would tie it up and win in OT but they didn't.

Monday, 12/29/2014: Rest day.

A total rest day after running a half marathon the day before.

Tuesday, 12/30/2014: 6.2 miles, 51:43, 8:20 pace, 23F, 72% RH, 3 mph S wind, overcast.

Garmin Connect Activity for A cold and easy 10K

The temperature fell below freezing and two inches of snow fell in the morning. I had 98.12 miles for the month of December. But ... a streak needed to be maintained. I have run more than 100 miles per month since July 2013. Seventeen months in a row and counting ... knock on wood. So ... I bundled up a bit more and headed out. I struck up a nice and easy pace and was very mindful of my footing. I had mistakenly put on my road shoes instead of trying out my new trail shoes. I was careful ... not that you would know it by my pace being only about 10 seconds per mile slower. My splits were: 8:28, 8:25, 8:13, 8:14, 8:40, 8:11 and 7:23 over the last 0.2 mile. The mile 4 of 8:40 was on the icy sidewalks of Cooper Rd and Titus Ave. I could have extended to a 15K but decided against it ... my face was cold.

Wednesday, 12/31/2014: End of the year.

Just a nice and easy rest day on New Year's Eve. I was asleep on the couch at midnight.

The stats for the month of December: 16 runs for 104.32 miles, 6.5 miles/run.
The stats for 2015: 229 runs for 1361.31 miles, 5.9 miles/run.

Thursday, 1/1/2015: 2 runs of 1 mile and the 7.5 mile Freezeroo #2, 23F, 63% RH, 17 mph SW wind, wind chill 9F, partly cloudy.

Well ... New Year's Day. Time to rise, shine and get ready for my 6th running (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015) of Freezeroo #2. Yes, it was cold. Yes, my bed with my darling wife, Christine, still sleeping in it was cozy. But ... a runner who loves to race gets up and races. So ... I got ready and go out. It was 22F according to Yahoo! Weather so I wore my usual: CW-X tights, long sleeve tech, 1/4 zip tech pullover, beanie and heavy gloves. I put some "after the run" stuff in my bag (and was glad I brought it).

I got down to the beach parking at Mendon Ponds Park at 9:05AM. Plenty of time before the 10AM start. I do like to get a race about a hour early. It was cold. I got my bib and timing chip up at Stewart Lodge. I put my bib on the left leg of the tights in case I changed my mind about what I was going to wear on top. I met up with Prem Kumar for a moment and then headed back to the car. It was cold. I decided that I needed more warmth. So ... I dug in my bag and put on a short sleeve tech over my long sleeve tech and a neck gaiter around my neck I really need to find my balaclava. I got out for a nice and easy 1 mile warmup run at 9:19 pace ... which really didn't warm me up.

Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before Freezeroo #2

I saw Bill Beyerbach when I was just heading to the start line and walked with him to our usual starting positions. He likes to start in the middle. I like to start more to the right side. I saw shirtless Tom Butler and felt warmer, lol!

Tom Butler said that he got the Superman shorts as a gag Christmas gift and decided to wear them.

And ... we're off! - courtesy of Tim Matthews

Getting up to speed after the start - courtesy of Tim Matthews

And ... we were off! 7.5 miles through the rolling hills of Mendon were ahead. The course was back on Douglas Rd and left on Canfield Rd back to Rt 65 (Clover St). Mile 1 passed in a quick 7:10. Then a left onto Clover St into the wind. Wow ... was it cold and difficult to run into the wind. Mile 2 passed in 7:36. I had to take a couple of tiny walk breaks to get my breath back as we turned left onto Pond Rd. We ran past Devil's Bathtub. Mile 3 passed in 8:05. Then a right to stay on Pond Rd. Mile 4 passed in 7:41. I didn't take any water at the water stop nor did I carry any.

This looks to be Pond Rd - courtesy of Tim Matthews

A left onto Pittsford-Mendon Center Rd with more rolling hills. Mile 5 passed in 7:46. I was cruising, 2/3 done. I was keeping pace with two girls and then passed them. Mile 6 passed in 7:26 about 1/2 mile before another left back onto Canfield Rd. Up the hill, down Canfield Rd. Mile 7 passed in 7:45. The left turn back onto Douglas Rd was in sight.

Up the last hill on Douglas Rd near the cobblestone house - courtesy of Tim Matthews

Time to gut it out, the finish line was sight! I couldn't catch the guy in front and I heard no one behind me. I got up to 6:33 pace at the finish. And ... done in 57:31. I thought I hit the stop button but really didn't. Oops!

Cruising into the finish at 57:31 - courtesy of Sue Scheuch 

Almost done! - courtesy of Sue Scheuch

I waited and saw Heather Danielson (58:14), Frank Quattrone (58:45), Steve Levitsky (58:59), Andy Ciaio (59:22), Bill Beyerbach (59:36) and Prem Kumar (1:05:45) come in.

I had a bit of post race grub up at Stewart Lodge ... pasta, garlic bread, soup and chips. It was crowded so I went home. It felt strangely warm out now. It had warmed up to 25F but the wind wasn't as fierce, lol!

I did pretty OK. I was 62nd out of 340, link here. The 57:31 was about a minute faster than last year's 58:36 (but nowhere near 2012's 53:26. I was 5th out of 30 in my M55-59 age group, link here. A news link here.

Christine had a hot mug of coffee ready went I got home so I stripped out of my wet gear, put on warm clothes and relaxed the rest of the day. Sweet!

Friday, 1/2/2015: Rest day.

Saturday, 2/3/2015: All in all, a day that I would like to start over and do better

I had signed up for the Frozen Assets 5K, a snowshoe race, down in Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area  (about 50 minutes south of Rochester). Well, it was posted on Facebook on Friday night that since there not enough snow that it was just going to be a trail shoe race of about 3.4 miles. I got ready, got dressed, got my gear ready. I brought a change of clothes and thought I had everything all wired. I had convinced my darling wife, Christine, to come along. We started about 20 minutes late from when I had wanted to but still made it to the race site at 9:20 AM in plenty of time for the 10AM start. I got my bib, pinned it on and started to get ready at 9:40 AM. Well ... I didn't have my trail shoes with the screws. I had only my road shoes.

I was pissed. I should have just walked up to the start line and asked if anyone had any traction that I could have borrowed. But I was embarrassed that I had forgotten to check that I had everything. I later learned that Prem Kumar had some crampons that I could have borrowed. But no ... I just started up the car and drove home. It was my fault for not making sure that I had everything that I needed to run this race. I finally went out for a run to clear my head and get some use out of the day. So ... my first Frozen Assets 5K was a DNS (Did Not Start).

Garmin Connect Activity for A clockwise bridges run

So ... 10.4 miles, 1:25:54, 8:15 pace, 32F, 64% RH, 9 mph SE wind

I just went out and ran at my usual nice and easy pace. A tiny section to the left of most sidewalks was mostly clear so that is where I ran when I couldn't run on the road so I had to be careful. On and on I ran. It started to snow lightly. I crossed the O'Rorke bridge, headed back to St Paul Blvd and then headed back north. The light snow changed to light freezing rain. It had started to get slippery and I was wet when I got back.  back. I apologized again. I was in the wrong.

I had my usual post run coffee, realized I was cold and then showered. I watched the two NFL Wild-Card games. The Panthers beat the Cardinals at home, 26-17, link here. The Ravens beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh, 30-17, link here.

Today: lesson learned. I really need to make a list of thing I might need for a race and check it off before I leave for a race. I am so used to just "winging it". It's a bit harder and more involved in the winter when there is more gear to haul and more traction options to consider. I know have road, trail, trail with screws and snowshoes to consider in the winter.

12/31/2014 - looking back at 2014

12/31/2014: Looking back and looking ahead

Who am I? I'm a 57 year old runner. I'm 6' 4" and weigh about 172 pounds. I discovered running about 9 years as a way to get out of the house to avoid arguing with my ex wife. I stuck with it through the divorce, after the divorce and now into my second marriage. My darling wife, Christine, found me on Facebook again when she was looking for sponsors for a running event that she was interested in. We had gone out in college way back in 1978 when I went to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland but had gone our separate ways. She said she found a Facebook picture of me splashing through the water at the 2008 Jensen Stables 12K and wondered if that was me. Well, a question on Facebook chat on 8/27/2009 quickly led to a visit on 9/5/2009. This visit soon led to her moving to Rochester in October 2009 which led to marriage on 11/30/2012.

I continue to run. I started short as all runners do. First one, then two and then three miles at a time.First only when I felt like it and it was sunny. Soon two or three times a week for 15 miles total when it was nice. Then three or four times a week in almost any weather condition for 20 to 25 miles total. Soon, the long run became anything up to 10 miles or more. I have finished the Rochester Marathon twice (3:51:57). I have attempted a trail marathon named Sehgahunda four times, went to the hospital the first two times in 2010 and 2011, finished the next two in 2012 and 2014. I have finished a trail 50K, the Mendon Ponds Trail Race, mostly in the rain, in November 2013. So I have done a few long races.

I guess you could say I am a runner.  I wasn't sure about this thing called a "runner's high" when i first began. Now I know it does exist ... I have felt it. Sometimes running is a chore ... and then sometimes you feel like you could run forever.

Anyway ... a look back into 2014

Yes, a picture of my feet. The left three black toes are from the 15 mile WTF on 12/13/14. I don't know about the right two.

I ran 229 times in 2014 (including warmups and cooldowns) for 1361 miles, 5.9 miles/run, a PR.

I ran 57 races (391 racing miles) in 2014, another PR. I like to say I'm faster than some and slower than others. Those 57 races were split between 32 road races and 25 trail races. The "popular" road race distances were: 12 5Ks, 1 5M, 4 10Ks, 3 15Ks, 1 20K and 3 half marathons. I didn't run a full marathon last year. The trail races were more relaxed and were of various distances up to Sehgahunda's 26.3 miles. I like to race so I spent $1244 on race applications.

I finished 3rd in my 55-59 age group in the 12 race Rochester Runner of the Year (RROY) standings with 48 out 60 points, link here. The rules are explained here. My friends, Bill Beyerbach and Wilt Alston, finished with 53 and 49 points, respectively. I finished 2nd in my 55-59 age group in the 6 race Freezeroo standings, link here.

It's the competition that I like. The act of getting out there and seeing what I can do. A local man wrote an article about winning 4th in his M30-34 RROY age group with a single hard-earned point, link here.

My first race was the Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile way back in 2007. The result of that race is unknown but I still love racing 304 races later.

A look ahead into 2015

What is in store for 2015? Half marathons for one thing. My body right now is more set up for a half marathon than a full marathon. I have already signed up for Fleet Feet's 4 Season Challenge, the Lake Effect Half Marathon in February and the Syracuse Half Marathon in March so that is 6 already. I signed up for the Ontario Summit Trail Marathon on 5/30 instead of Sehgahunda on 5/23 and the new Webster Trail Classic on 6/6/15 instead of the Mendon Mauler basically because I want new challenges. I got a pair of Dion snowshoes for Christmas so I have signed up for some snowshoes races: the Frozen Assets 5K on 1/3/15, the Winterfest 10K on 1/15/15 and maybe the Cast a Shadow on 2/7/15. I have a bicycle so I may sign up for more duathlons (Flower City Du, Fly By Night and Shoreline Du). Will I sign up for as many races as in 2014? Who knows?

I run solo nowadays mostly because it is cheaper and easier just to run as soon as I get out my apartment door. My nice and easy pace of 8:00 to 8:20 minute per mile. Sometimes I run faster. I just get out there and run.

I would like to start using the LA Fitness membership that my darling wife, Christine, dutifully pays every month. I would like to lose about 10 pounds ... though exchanging it for muscle would be OK. I have never been very muscular except in my legs.

That's about it ... Happy New Year!